The National Universities Commission (NUC) Thursday warned Nigerians against patronising online universities and other degree awarding institutions operating online saying that any certificate obtained from such institutions is not recognised.

Speaking at a press conference at the Headquarters of the Commission, Director, Information and Public Relations, Ibrahim Yakasai stressed that degrees obtained online are not accepted in the country.

He said, “Nigeria will not recognize online degrees. Online degrees are not accepted in Nigeria at the moment.”

This was as he also warned Nigerian students and parents against patronising Maryam Abacha American University, Niger Republic noting that the Commission has been inundated with enquiries from some Nigerian students who had been offered admission in the university.

He disclosed that the concerned students were offered admissions on part-time with a graduation time of four semesters for programmes like Nursing, Medical Laboratory Science, Public Health among others.

“In Nigeria the duration for a full time degree programme is not less than three years for direct entry and at least six years for part-time, while professional programmes in Science, Engineering and Health Sciences including Nursing, Medical Laboratory Science and Public Health are not offered on part-time basis in Nigeria. Also, all part- time cross boarder education in Nigeria is not allowed,” he explained

Yakasai further lamented that the university admits Nigerian students who do not have the basic requirements to gain admission into the nation’s tertiary institutions in addition to running courses such as Nursing, Medical Laboratory Science on part-time basis which according to him is not acceptable.

While disclosing that Ghana National Accreditation Board (NAB) has banned 53 tertiary institutions in Ghana some of which Nigerian students run to from advertising and admitting students due to lack of qualification, Yakasai noted that all countries are at liberty to accept or reject certificates from any foreign university they felt is operating below their acceptable standards.

“We wish to restate that as the only quality assurance agency for universities in Nigeria, the NUC is maintaining its stand that degrees from Maryam Abacha University will not be accepted in Nigeria,” he said.